Sea Notes

Penguin: Saved

Penguins around the world face a variety of threats, many related to changes in their food supply as a result of human activities (overfishing, or human-induced climate change).

But they also have to contend with predators in the wild, including leopard seals and orcas. In at least one case, for one gentoo penguin, the human activities made a difference. Watch what happens with a gentoo pursued by a pod of orcas while folks in a whalewatching Zodiac looked on. (Apologies in advance for the wretched soundtrack.)

Portraits of Penguin Poo

So who would ever have dreamed that photos from space of penguin poo would contribute to the advancement of science?

Well, it's true. Teams from the British Antarctic Survey have pinpointed the location of ten new colonies of emperor penguins thanks to aerial photos it capture of excrement-stained ice.

Turns out the guano stains -- a tell-tale reddish brown, circled in the photo below -- are large enough to be captured by satellite photos and are reliable indicators to show where the colonies congregate, mapping expert Peter Fretwell told Britain's Guardian newspaper.

(Special thanks to Kaylin of Penguin Wonderings Blog for the tip!)

An Otter Among Penguins

Seems a former Monterey Bay Aquarium otter has found a home in New York -- at least the fictional New York zoo where the penguins from the Madagascar animated films now reside.

Her name's Marlene, and she looks a lot more like a river otter than any sea otter I've ever seen. But her original home is in Northern California, specifically here at the aquarium, according to one of the creators of The Penguins of Madagascar, a new animated series on Nickelodeon.

It's a huge hit for the network: Most-watched series premiere ever (6.1 million viewers), and already extended for 26 more episodes beyond the initial 26 that Nickelodeon ordered.

Marlene has more than a bit role in the series. Lots of buzz out there about a possible romantic connection between her and Skipper!

Hmmm, now that she's so famous, I wonder if there's any chance she'll invite Herbie Hippocampus out for a visit? She definitely should stop by Wild About Otters to see her cousins before it the exhibit closes on September 13.